Gulfstream Park: Golden Mystery the standout of Wolfson pack for Inside Information Stakes
March 17, 2013HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – No matter how they dress her up, Golden Mystery is still the horse to beat in Sunday’s $150,000 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Golden Mystery, one of four fillies and mares trainer Marty Wolfson has entered in the Grade 2 Inside Information, will fly the silks of her new owners, Regis Farm, for the first time Sunday. She had previously raced under the navy-and-orange colors of Farnsworth Stables, who sold Golden Mystery for $625,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale 24 hours after her 3 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie here Feb. 10.
Golden Mystery, who also cruised to an easy 5 1/4-length triumph in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint in her 2013 debut for Farnsworth, was shipped back to Wolfson’s barn at Calder by her new owners several days after the sale. She has worked twice since returning home, including a near-bullet 48.20-second half-mile last Saturday.
“This race is at seven furlongs, which I think is her best distance,” Wolfson said. “We’ve talked about running her in the Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, which is also at seven-eighths, but nothing beyond that.”
Javier Castellano will replace Golden Mystery’s regular rider, Luis Saez, currently sidelined with a hip injury, for the Inside Information.
Wolfson also entered Spectacular Sky (Joel Rosario to ride), Nakano (John Velazquez), and Starship Truffles (Corey Lanerie) for the Inside Information, but said he plans to run only three of his talented quartet.
“I’ll probably run Spectacular Sky and Nakano and hold out Starship Truffles and possibly run her in the Rampart,” Wolfson said.
The Grade 3 Rampart wil be run at 1 1/8 miles here March 30.
Spectacular Sky, who has won four of her last five starts, will likely be the one to catch breaking from the rail. She is coming off a wire-to-wire neck victory going seven-eighths in the Manatee at Tampa Bay Downs in her 2013 debut Feb. 9 and is 4 for 5 at that distance in her career.
Nakano rallied to finish third, five lengths behind Golden Mystery, in the Hurricane Bertie and again figures to be picking up the pieces Sunday.
“Spectacular Sky will be in front, Golden Mystery comes from off the pace, and Nakano comes from even farther back, so I don’t think they’ll get in each other’s way,” Wolfson said.
Emma’s Encore, the only Grade 1 winner in the field, will attempt to rebound from her disappointing fifth-place finish in the Hurricane Bertie. She also proved no match for Golden Mystery when she rallied to finish a well-beaten second in the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint.
The speedy Burban has won three of her four career starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally and figures to press the pace but has not started since trouncing second-level optional claiming company going seven furlongs last May at Churchill Downs.
Ice Cream Silence and Aubby K both have a touch of back class but, like Burban, have not raced in quite some time. Ice Cream Silence has been idle since finishing second as the 6-5 favorite in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 3 Iowa Oaks on June 30 at Prairie Meadows. Aubby K, third last spring in the Grade 1 Acorn, has not run since finishing a wide-running eighth last summer in Saratoga’s Grade 1 Test.
“I’ve had her ready to run for about three weeks, but couldn’t get a race for her,” said Rusty Arnold, who trains the homebred Ice Cream Silence for owner G. Watts Humphrey Jr. “She’s doing well, although I really didn’t want to start her out in a graded stakes off that kind of layoff. But that’s the way it worked out.”